Building a relationship with your child’s teacher and maintaining contact throughout the year is one of the best things we can do as parents to support our children’s education. Extensive research has demonstrated that when families work closely with their school, children do better, have better behaviour and better academic outcomes. Sometimes though, it can be challenging as a parent to know where to start or what to do if you feel your child needs additional help in a particular area.

Here are what I hope are some helpful tips if you are wanting to engage more closely with us:

• Your child’s classroom teacher should always be the first point of call. They have the most day to day contact with your child and any additional information you can provide regarding your child and what they are experiencing either at home or at school, will be invaluable to them.

• Teachers don’t have a lot of time available during the school day, so often the best way to reach out is to send an initial email briefly letting the teacher know what you are concerned or have questions about and perhaps asking when might be a suitable time to touch base - either by phone or in person.

• As a staff we have an expectation that emails from families should be responded to within a reasonable timeframe of 48 working hours. We do not expect our staff to respond to emails in the evenings or over weekends, but you should expect to receive a response within 2 working days of making your initial contact.

• If you and your child’s teacher decide to meet in person it is a good idea to come prepared with questions or the concerns you wish to share regarding your child. It is important that you proactively seek out information about your child’s experience at school by asking questions and being curious. It is also helpful to come with an open mind, a willingness to listen and a desire to work collaboratively.

• If your child has additional needs and you would like to bring a support person with you to a meeting you have organised with a teacher, it is helpful to let the teacher know that you would like to bring this person along, explain their role in supporting you and your child and why it would be beneficial to have them present.

• If you have been actively working with your child’s teacher and you still have ongoing questions or concerns, there are also other avenues you can explore.

• Our Centacare School Counsellor based at the Primary Campus is Mrs Kelsey Dyer. She can support you and your child with a range of issues including anxiety, mental health or school refusal. She can also provide information about external support services if needed.

• Our Primary Learning Support Teacher is Mr Martin Howes. He coordinates the support we provide to students with additional needs and can work with you, the classroom teacher and our teacher assistants to ensure your child is having the best possible experience at St Matthews.

• Our Primary Wellbeing Coordinator is Mr Matthew Cassidy. He can support you with issues related to student wellbeing and how your child is engaging at school.

• Our Primary Stage Coordinators work with classroom teachers to develop positive learning environments where children can experience great learning outcomes:

• Mrs Kelly Coughlan (K-2)
• Ms Kate Harris (Years 3-4)
• Ms Mell Hunt (Years 5-6)

• Of course, if you have engaged with any or all of these people and still have ongoing concerns, you are always welcome to reach out to either Mr Yeo or myself and we would be eager to see what we can do to support you.

The most important message I want to leave you with is this - please don’t ever sit at home worrying about what is happening for your child at school. We all want the best for the young people in our school community and we are here to help and support you in whatever way we can.

God bless

Angela Myles

Mid-Western Regional Council (MWRC) has provided a Waste & Sustainability Program for the students at St Matthews this week. With Years 1 and 2 visiting the Town Library for Book Week, our Years 2 - 6 classes are participating in workshops to engage students with real world experiences on topics of litter, recycling, food waste and a broader understanding of sustainability.

Year 2 - Fight Against Food Waste
Years 3 and 4 - Little Litter Superheroes
Years 5 and 6 - Recycle Right Together

We thank all involved at MWRC for providing such a worthwhile program that highlights complex environmental issues confronting our planet.

The annual Book Week Parade was another resounding success with students arriving enthusiastically in their outfits. Mrs Mort, our Primary Librarian, does an amazing job organising an eventful week, with activities and Town Library visits promoting the importance and enjoyment of reading for our students. Thank you to our families for the support with outfits and for those able to be present for the parade.

Justin Yeo

Currently our Year 3 students are participating in their FHC Program. Further to this Sacrament this week they celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In our daily lives Reconciliation can be a time for us to reflect on our actions, seek forgiveness, and renew our relationship with God and one another. It can include but is not limited to increasing awareness around Healing and Unity, Spiritual Growth, Modelling Forgiveness, Strengthening Relationships and Renewal and Peace.

In essence, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a powerful way for a family to grow closer to God and to each other, fostering a home environment filled with love, understanding, and mutual support.

Social Justice Sunday -25th August

Catholic Social Justice teaches us that all people are children of God so every person belongs to the human family. As sisters and brothers, our needs are met in relationship with one another.

The 2024 Social Justice Statement Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World will be publicly released on August 20, ahead of Social Justice Sunday on August 25.

In the 2024 – 2025 Social Justice Statement, “Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World”, Australia’s Bishops scrutinise the signs of our own troubled times, observe the violence around us, and ask why it is so. They also ask what is needed if there is to be peace.

Year 6 Formation Day

On Tuesday, Year 6 ventured to Dubbo for a formation day organised by our CEDB and performed by Emmanuel Worship. Their music is written and performed by people with a passion for Jesus and a passion for music.

Ross McKeown

Leader of Mission

Religious Education

Year 2 has been doing some terrific learning about saints and their place in the Church. The catch phrase from their learning so far is “Saints are the stars of the Church!” During their primary school years the students learn about saints in great detail in Year 2, Year 3 and Year 6, so the Year 2 students are beginning a great journey of learning about these stars of the Church and examples of our faith in action.

Here are some work samples from some wonderful students in 2M, showcasing the end of some guided research into different saints. It’s lovely to see these inquiry skills being taught and demonstrated during our Religion lessons.

Thanks for sharing 2M, keep up the fabulous work!

Matthew Cassidy

Religious Education Coordinator - Primary

Dillon Price

Leader of Wellbeing (K-12)

Nationals X Country and Polding Rugby Union

Wishing Alfie all the best as he represents St Matthews at the Nationals X Country competition in Melbourne. Congratulations, Alfie, on this outstanding achievement!

Polding Rugby Union

Good luck to Angus, who will represent St Matthews and Polding at the NSWPSSA Rugby Union Tournament this week.

Adam Coughlan

K-6 Sports Coordinator

Term 3 payments are now due, please finalise your account as soon as possible.

Annette White

Finance & Operations Manager

Please find attached an invitation to our annual St Matthews Father's Day BBQ Breakfast and Liturgy. The details are as follows:

Date: Friday 30th August
Time: 8:00am for breakfast, followed by a liturgy at 9:10am
Venue: St Matthews Catholic School Primary Campus (in the Undercroft)
RSVP: Monday 26th August for catering purposes

We look forward to seeing as many of our special Fathers, Grandfathers and Father figures as possible. 

To RSVP, please click HERE

John Freebody
Creative Arts Club Coordinator

Our school social media pages are an important source of information and reminders about upcoming events in our school and Parish community.

Breakfast Menu

Bought directly from the canteen with cash.

Please let your child know if they are having a lunch order and what they are having. Some of our younger students are accidently throwing out their “tokens”. They need the token to redeem any frozen item/slushie/special that may have been ordered for them.

Birthday Bucket & Classroom Cupcakes

Alicia Cowden
Primary Canteen Manager

EFTPOS only, no cash.

Enjoy the convenience of online shopping. Save time and energy by ordering your uniforms online in six easy steps:

1. Go to midford.com.au
2. Select St Matthews Catholic School from the Online School Shops tab
3. New users to click the ‘Register New Account’ button
4. Start the registration process by selecting St Matthews Catholic School from the drop-down menu and add the unique school pass phrase: “Matthews1912”
5. Add your personal information, create a username and password
6. Order the items you need, select pick-up in store/deliver to school.

If you have any queries please contact the uniform shop directly:
Phone: 0439 442 509 or Email: st.matthews@midford.com.au

Parents and Carers of new or existing students enrolled in St Matthews can apply for free school bus travel with Ogden's Coaches for every route (except Botobolar and Cudgegong which is serviced by Booth's Bus Service)

• free school travel is available for Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students no matter how close or far away they are from school.
• if students are not eligible for free bus transportation they can still ride on the bus by paying a fare or by purchasing a book of 10 tickets or a term/annual pass from the Ogden's Coaches office.
• students who changed address or schools must update existing details through the NSW Transport online portal
• if you are unsure whether or not your child has a current bus pass, please contact our office.
  to travel on our bus service, students must present their bus pass to the bus driver morning and afternoon.
• Apply for student bus passes through the Ogden's Coaches website

Select ‘Schools’ tab in top header then select ‘Apply for a New Pass'

Fill in the application form for each child and you will be notified of eligibility via email from Transport NSW. Bus passes will be distrubuted by post to students home address.

Ogden's Coaches - Mudgee

(02) 6372 2489